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South Australians living with Motor Neurone Disease will have greater access to specialist care and essential equipment under a new $4 million State Government funding commitment.
The funding will be delivered over four years to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Australia (MNDSA), supporting its equipment loan program and specialist services, particularly for people aged 65 and over who are not eligible for assistance through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
It builds on a previous $2.4 million State Government commitment to MNDSA and will allow the organisation to continue providing rapid access to equipment including breathing devices, mobility aids, communication technology and equipment used for everyday living.
For people living with MND, where physical abilities can change quickly, access to the right equipment can play a significant role in helping them remain independent and at home.
Since 2022, MNDSA has supplied more than 2,900 pieces of equipment to South Australians living with the disease, while the number of care hours delivered by the organisation has increased by 94%.
MNDSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Samantha Mead said the additional funding was particularly important for older South Australians who fall outside the NDIS.
“For South Australians aged 65 and over, who are not eligible for the NDIS, this funding is a powerful recognition that their needs matter,” Dr Mead said.
“It ensures they can continue to access the specialist support, expert care and essential equipment that helps them live with dignity, independence and the best possible quality of life.”
The investment will also support specialist multidisciplinary care, including ongoing assessments and interventions as a person’s needs change.
MND is a group of diseases affecting the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. It can progressively affect a person’s ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe, and there is currently no cure.
At any given time, around 150 to 200 South Australians are living with MND, while six to eight people in the state die from the disease each month.
Health and Wellbeing Minister Blair Boyer said the previous funding had helped address a significant gap in services.
“This renewed funding of an additional $4 million over four years will ensure South Australians living with MND can continue to access this vital care and support,” Minister Boyer said.
Dr Mead said rapid access was particularly important given the speed at which MND can progress.
“Every day counts when you’re living with MND,” she said.
“Timely access to the right equipment can be the difference between staying at home with loved ones and unnecessary hospitalisation.”
For more info head to MND Australia.
